Canadian Pacific Railway Limited operates as a transcontinental railway in Canada and the United States, transporting various bulk and merchandise commodities across its 23,000 km rail network. The company is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Canadian Pacific is seeking a Vice President of Mechanical Services to provide strategic leadership and oversight of the mechanical department, which maintains locomotives, railcars, and facilities. The role will be responsible for developing policies and budgets, implementing technologies, and leading a team of over 300 employees to optimize mechanical costs and improve productivity. Candidates should have 15+ years of railway experience, preferably as a mechanical engineer, with strong technical knowledge and leadership abilities.

1. Our client, Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a transcontinental
railway providing freight transportation services, logistics solutions, and supply chain expertise in Canada
and the United States. The Company transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, sulphur, and
fertilizers; and merchandise freight, such as finished vehicles and automotive parts. It also transports forest
products, such as wood pulp, paper, paperboard, newsprint, lumber, panel, and oriented strand board; and
industrial and consumer products comprising chemicals, energy, and plastics, as well as mine, metals, and
aggregates.
The Company provides rail and intermodal transportation services over a network of over 23,000 kilometers
of track serving the principal business centers of Canada, from Montreal, Quebec, to Vancouver, British
Columbia; and the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. The Company is headquartered in
Calgary, Canada.
The industry is complex and multidimensional; the Company is sophisticated and technology-driven.
Our client provides a very attractive and competitive compensation package.
Vice President Mechanical Services
This is a high profile position.
We are seeking an individual who can impact the
Company today, transform the paradigms and drive change across the Mechanical
Organization.
Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Operations (System), the Vice President, Mechanical
Services provides direct functional leadership to four highly qualified professionals who lead a
team of over 300 unionized and non-unionized people in mechanical engineering; locomotive
reliability; locomotive maintenance planning; and car maintenance planning. This team is tasked
with developing the policies, procedures and practices used in the maintenance of the Railway’s
rolling stock and supporting the leaders at maintenance facilities.
The Vice President Mechanical Services provides strategic leadership and business direction as a
member of the Senior Operations Management Team for mechanical activities undertaken on the
railway. The Vice President Mechanical Services will ensure that locomotives, rail car and
mechanical facility capital assets renewal and maintenance functions are planned and provided for
in a safe and reliable manner in compliance with regulatory standards, adhering to a cost effective
approach to achieve corporate business objectives.
Key accountabilities include:
• direct the provision of equipment technical support through the contribution of specialized
expertise on a timely and on a least cost basis with due consideration to risk.
• provide leadership by fostering continuous improvement initiatives in the workplace.
• develop the mechanical operating and capital budget to ensure the expenditures promote
the achievement of Canadian Pacific Railway’s financial objectives.

2. • manage and lead in a way that motivates personnel to reduce costs and improve
productivity.
• direct the development of maintenance policies, practices and standards and the design of
equipment improvements to meet customer requirements at an appropriate and
commercially viable life cycle cost.
• direct the investigation and adoption of new technologies, standards and practices to
achieve continuous improvement in railway operations while meeting ROI targets.
• direct the capital renewal projects for capital equipment at mechanical facilities.
Key responsibilities include:
• ensure that mechanical costs are optimized with due regard to labor, materials, facilities
and processes across the network.
• ensure that the application of technologies to mechanical practices are deployed effectively
and generate productivity and efficiency benefits.
• provide leadership and actuate the deployment of SAP in support of the mechanical
facilities.
• ensure the development and implementation of detailed analytics of rolling stock operating
and maintenance activities and costs.
• collaborate with mechanical facilities leaders in the establishment of goals and objectives
to meet corporate business targets
• ensure that standards and targets are challenged in order to improve performance and assist
in their network-wide application.
• provide leadership in the redesign of the mechanical parts and supplies procurement
process.
• develop a strong succession plan for key senior mechanical team members in both shop as
well as services sectors.
• ensure effective representation of the mechanical department at key industry and
regulatory forums.
• assess the value achieved from outsourced mechanical services and provide leadership for
the insourcing of activities deemed appropriate.
• ensure the design and implementation of mechanical practices provide for best-in-class
safety.

3. Required skills, knowledge, and credentials:
• Mechanical Engineer, preferably with advanced degree
• 15+ years of railway experience, predominately in the mechanical field
• ability to dissect complex and technical issues and effectively communicate relevance to a
broad range of stakeholders
• strong technical knowledge in railway car and locomotive systems
• solid procurement and sourcing background
• experienced in the development and application of key mechanical services performance
metrics
• comfortable with change
• willing and able to challenge the paradigm
• strong leader with good interpersonal skills
• can effectively multi-task and adapt
• knowledgeable on systems and support – SAP, Microsoft Office
For information please contact
John Gradek, Partner
514-935-7045
j.gradek@stantonchase.com